DD News On Air

THE HEADLINES:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, fulfilling duties as responsible citizens is key to achieving Viksit Bharat; Interacts with NCC cadets, tableau artists and other participants of Republic Day Celebrations.

• External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar says, President Prabowo Subianto’s participation as Republic Day Chief Guest is a fitting celebration of India-Indonesia friendship.

• Madhya Pradesh government bans liquor sale in 17 religious towns including Ujjain, Maihar, Omkareshwar, Orchha and Chitrakoot.

• Security forces arrest 14 Maoists in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.

• In Cricket, Star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma included in ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year.

• And in Australian Open Tennis, Men’s Singles title clash set up between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, Youth Exchange Programme cadets, tableau artists, and tribal guests of the Republic Day Celebrations 2025 at his residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, in New Delhi today. During the interaction the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of national unity and diversity, urging all participants to interact with people from different states to strengthen the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. He highlighted how such interactions foster understanding and unity, which are vital for the nation’s progress. Mr Modi emphasised that fulfilling duties as responsible citizens is the key to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. He urged everyone to remain united and committed to strengthening the nation through collective efforts. The Prime Minister encouraged youth to register on the My Bharat Portal and actively engage in activities that contribute to nation-building. During the conversation, the Prime Minister discussed some key initiatives of the government which are helping make the life of people better. The Prime Minister also interacted with foreign participants. These participants expressed joy in attending the programme, praised India’s hospitality and shared positive experiences of their visits.

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External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar called on the Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in New Delhi today. In a social media post, Dr. Jaishankar remarked that the Indonesian President’s participation as the Chief Guest at India’s 76th Republic Day will be a fitting celebration to the cherished friendship between the two countries. He acknowledged President Prabowo’s guidance and positive sentiments for the development of our multifaceted bilateral ties. President Prabowo arrived in India last night on a four-day visit ahead of the 76th Republic Day celebrations. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita received him at the airport in the national capital. During his visit, the Indonesian President will meet President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is President Prabowo’s first visit to India after assuming office in October last year.

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Akashvani and Doordarshan are fully geared up for the live coverage of the 76th Republic Day parade from Kartavya Path on 26th January. To review the preparedness at Kartavya Path, Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, Sanjay Jaju, took stock of the arrangements made by Akashvani and Doordarshan for the live coverage. He lauded the efforts of Akashvani and Doordarshan teams.

Prasar Bharati CEO, Gaurav Dwivedi, said that this time, 4 thousand cameras have been deployed to ensure high-quality picture resolution, which is eight times better than before. He also mentioned that the parade will be broadcast on the WAVES OTT platform.

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On Sunday, Delhi Metro will start its services at 3 AM on all lines to help people reach Kartavya Path and witness the Republic Day ceremony. According to the Delhi Metro, trains will operate at intervals of 30 minutes until 6 AM, after which the regular timetable will be followed for the rest of the day. Delhi Metro has encouraged passengers to plan their travel accordingly and make use of the early metro services to avoid any last-minute inconvenience.

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The 15th National Voters’ Day will be celebrated across the country tomorrow. President Droupadi Murmu will attend the national function in New Delhi. She will present the Best Electoral Practices Awards to state and district officials for their exemplary efforts in ensuring smooth elections. Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, along with the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners, will also be present at the event. This year’s theme, ‘Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure,’ continues last year’s focus on the importance of electoral participation and pride in voting.

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Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said that National Voters Day is not just an occasion to celebrate the inception of Election Commission but also an opportunity to honour the very spirit of democracy. Mr Kumar was addressing on the eve of 15th National Voters Day in New Delhi today. He said, this year’s National Voters Day is special as Election Commission of India completes 75 years of service to the nation.

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As Delhi gears up for the upcoming Assembly Elections on 5th of next month, leaders from all major political parties have intensified their efforts to woo voters.

“Campaigning for 70-member Delhi Assembly polls is in full swing. Prominent leaders of the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party, Congress and other parties and candidates are conducting road shows, door-to-door campaigns, and public meetings to woo the voters. Senior BJP Leader and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today addressed a public rally in Patel Nagar constituency. Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur also held multiple public meetings in Mangolpuri, New Delhi and Dwarka constituencies. On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal conducted roadshows in Najafgarh, Uttam Nagar and Dwarka constituencies. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh also addressed a public meeting in Mangolpuri area to seek votes in the favour of their party candidate. Meanwhile, Former Delhi Congress President Anil Chaudhary held door to door campaign in Patparganj assembly constituency. WITH ANUPAM MISHRA, SAKLEN AKHTAR Akashvani News, Delhi”

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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will be on a two day visit to China from Sunday for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China. Briefing media in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal informed the meeting will take place on 26 and 27th of this month.

On a query on illegal immigration, Mr Jaiswal said, India is against illegal immigration especially because it is linked to several forms of organised crime.

On a media query on the fencing of Bangladesh border, the MEA Spokesperson said, India wants that the agreements should be positively implemented.

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The Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale of liquor in 17 religious towns of the state including in Ujjain, Maihar, Omkareshwar, Orchha and Chitrakoot. The decision was made in the state cabinet meeting held today at Maheshwar in Khargone district, known as the holy city of Lokmata Ahilyabai.

This decision will come into effect on April 1. 47 liquor shops in 17 religious towns will be completely closed, and these shops will not be relocated. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav informed the media about this decision.

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In Chhattisgarh, security forces have arrested 14 Maoists in Bijapur district. Of these, a reward of about 36 lakh rupees was declared on 8 Maoists. These Maoists were arrested from the forests of Tekmetla, Nadapalli, and Mallempenta under the Usoor police station area. The arrested Maoists are accused of planting an IED on the Usoor-Nadapalli road.

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The death toll has risen to 8 in the Ordnance Factory blast in Bhandara district of Maharashtra this morning. A total of 13 to 14 workers were on shift at the Ordnance Factory when the blast took place, causing the roof to collapse. Five workers have been injured in the incident. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, have expressed condolences to the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured .

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News from Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.

Devotees and pilgrims are visiting in large numbers in Prayagraj everyday to attend the ongoing Mahakumbh. With millions of devotees attending the Mahakumbh Mela to take a holy dip, maintaining sanitation and hygiene is a top priority for the government.

“The Mahakumbh 2025 is not only a significant spiritual and cultural gathering but also a model of environmental conservation and cleanliness. The event is setting a new global benchmark in waste management, river conservation, and eco-friendly practices. The government has implemented a comprehensive sanitation plan to ensure a “Clean Maha Kumbh. The Mela ground have been designated as plastic-free zones, with an absolute ban on single-use plastics.As part of the ‘Swacch and Swasth Mahakumbh’ campaign, a cleanliness awareness rally was took out today in the Mela area to inspire devotees and promote eco-friendly practices. Over 200 Ganga Sevadoots and Swachhata Mitras participated in the rally to spread the message of cleanliness and sustainability. Around 15 thousand sanitation workers and over one thousand and 800 Ganga Sevadoots have been deployed to ensure cleanliness across the Mela area. With Anand Kumar’s report, this is AKHILA_for Akashvani News.”

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Star Indian batter, Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma have been included in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year which will be led by South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt. Mandhana reigned supreme in 2024, finishing as the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs with an impressive tally of 747 runs in just 13 matches.

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In Australian Open Tennis, Men’s Singles title clash has been set up between defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy and second seed German Alexander Zverev to be played on Sunday. Sinner moved into his second Australian Open final with a commanding 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over the 21st seed Ben Shelton of United States. Earlier today, Zverev advanced to the final after seventh seed and 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia retired due to an injury during their semifinal match today.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.